Review – The Bookshop on the Corner (Scottish Bookshop, Book 1) by Jenny Colgan (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Length: 364 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Release Date: September 20, 2016
ASIN: B019WVTM4W
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Scottish Bookshop series
Source: Bought for Kindle
Rating: 4/5 stars
“Nina is a literary matchmaker. Pairing a reader with that perfect book is her passion… and also her job. Or at least it was. Until yesterday, she was a librarian in the hectic city. But now the job she loved is no more.
Determined to make a new life for herself, Nina moves to a sleepy village many miles away. There she buys a van and transforms it into a bookmobile — a mobile bookshop that she drives from neighborhood to neighborhood, changing one life after another with the power of storytelling.
From helping her grumpy landlord deliver a lamb, to sharing picnics with a charming train conductor who serenades her with poetry, Nina discovers there’s plenty of adventure, magic, and soul in a place that’s beginning to feel like home… a place where she just might be able to write her own happy ending.”
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Scottish Bookshop series. Right now there are three books in this series, each book features a different main character but ties in characters from previous books. I bought this book for my Kindle.
Story (4/5): This was an adorably fun read that those who enjoy books about characters who love books will love. Nina is a librarian who has been laid off and decides to start a book van in Scotland to try and make ends meet. The story is cute and fun and heartwarming. I love that Colgan kept things fairly realistic (Nina isn’t going to become a millionaire doing what she decides to do). Colgan did a great job of showing how making a big life change can gain you happiness and reward but can also come with some restrictions. This is a story about taking a big risk to find a happier way or life, about loving books and spreading that love, and about finding love yourself.
Characters (4/5): This book is 100% about the characters. Nina is an amazing character and I loved her. I love the farmer she rents from and I love her best friend. You meet just a ton of amazing characters and even the random character that stops to buy a book from Nina has some depth to them. Just really excellent characterization throughout. There are so many fun and quirky characters here.
Setting (4/5): This book alternates between the city of Birmingham and the sleepy Scottish village that Nina buys her van in. The description of both is amazing and you can really taste, hear and see the settings.
Writing Style (4/5): I enjoyed the writing style. This is an easy read and it was a hard book to put down. There were some spots that felt a bit awkward but the humor and witty dialogue throughout more than made up for that. I love how real the places and people feel in this book. I also enjoyed that this has a happy upbeat vibe to it. I loved that the “happily ever after” storyline was tampered by some reality and was realistic about where our characters life choices lead them.
There is a definite theme of choice and lifestyle here; Nina sacrifices a lot to be happy in her day to day life but gains happiness in return….her friends choose their city life which leads to day to day frustration at times but also gives them the different kinds of happiness they are seeking. It was a nice balance that just shows that it’s okay to live life in different ways.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I really loved this book and plan on continuing the series. This was just such a fun and heartfelt read, it left me feeling so positive. The characters and locations really came alive for me and I enjoyed them all. I would recommend this if you are looking for a fun book about a character who leaves everything behind to find a new life and finds unexpected belonging and romance on her journey.
